How far away are we from a religious free world? - Think Atheist2016-12-10T01:32:21Zhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/forum/topics/how-far-away-are-we-from-a-religious-free-world?commentId=1982180%3AComment%3A998041&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noAh, yes. Forgot about that. tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-12-11:1982180:Comment:9980412011-12-11T12:56:06.164ZEdward Nygmahttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/EdwardNygma
<p>Ah, yes. Forgot about that. </p>
<p>Ah, yes. Forgot about that. </p> My initial thought is that it…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-12-11:1982180:Comment:9978632011-12-11T08:58:52.495Zmathew gablehttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/gregbreier
<p>My initial thought is that it won't ever go away. Then again I look at how quickly our societies evolve and how far we have come in such a short period of time. It wasn't that long ago that slavery was legal and acceptable. Now we have a black president! Its really quite incredible. I think society will become more secular. However, I don't think the human race will ever come close to finding out all of the mysteries of the universe; so religion will be with us for a long time if not…</p>
<p>My initial thought is that it won't ever go away. Then again I look at how quickly our societies evolve and how far we have come in such a short period of time. It wasn't that long ago that slavery was legal and acceptable. Now we have a black president! Its really quite incredible. I think society will become more secular. However, I don't think the human race will ever come close to finding out all of the mysteries of the universe; so religion will be with us for a long time if not forever. </p> I am going to have to agree w…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-12-11:1982180:Comment:9976652011-12-11T02:51:39.120ZBrice Roughtonhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/BriceRoughton
<p>I am going to have to agree with you both. The indoctrination of the kids is terrible in every sense of the word. On the other hand, I have had some dear friends that have become religious and it has helped them dramatically with their issues. I find that a lot of people simply cannot handle or grasp the concept that there is no God, they absolutely need something to believe in. I find them to be harmless, unless they vote of course. It pains me to say this, some people are just better off…</p>
<p>I am going to have to agree with you both. The indoctrination of the kids is terrible in every sense of the word. On the other hand, I have had some dear friends that have become religious and it has helped them dramatically with their issues. I find that a lot of people simply cannot handle or grasp the concept that there is no God, they absolutely need something to believe in. I find them to be harmless, unless they vote of course. It pains me to say this, some people are just better off religious I suppose.</p>
<p></p> Honestly, I don't really want…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-12-10:1982180:Comment:9975182011-12-10T16:36:11.309ZEdward Nygmahttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/EdwardNygma
<p>Honestly, I don't really want a world free of religion. All I want is a world in which atheists are respected, and in which people don't vote and lobby based on their superstitious prejudices.</p>
<p>Honestly, I don't really want a world free of religion. All I want is a world in which atheists are respected, and in which people don't vote and lobby based on their superstitious prejudices.</p> @ Nelson
"Where did I say tha…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-12-10:1982180:Comment:9973962011-12-10T14:29:20.891ZEdhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/EdwardDelauter
<p>@ Nelson</p>
<p>"Where did I say that religion necessarily had to do with a god?"</p>
<p>You did not. But you must admit that the preponderance of religions in existence today involve a supernatural being at it's core.</p>
<p></p>
<p>BTW, you have piqued my interest in the Boyer book. Hopefully a cheap copy is available on Addall.</p>
<p>@ Nelson</p>
<p>"Where did I say that religion necessarily had to do with a god?"</p>
<p>You did not. But you must admit that the preponderance of religions in existence today involve a supernatural being at it's core.</p>
<p></p>
<p>BTW, you have piqued my interest in the Boyer book. Hopefully a cheap copy is available on Addall.</p> Not long cause a comet will f…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-12-10:1982180:Comment:9969882011-12-10T11:02:00.203Zr8gingbullhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/jeffreyaalders
Not long cause a comet will fall.... Then we die.
Not long cause a comet will fall.... Then we die. There is no wonder why religi…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-12-10:1982180:Comment:9972192011-12-10T05:32:14.111ZGabrielahttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/GabrielaS
<p>There is no wonder why religion is still being practised around the world with governments heavily relying on it to control the mass and keep individuals content with the lives they endure. Religion will continue to be an important variable within society until it is excluded from school curriculums, education is more prevalent/encouraged and it stops being wrongfully promoted as the means for a moral way of life.</p>
<p>There is no wonder why religion is still being practised around the world with governments heavily relying on it to control the mass and keep individuals content with the lives they endure. Religion will continue to be an important variable within society until it is excluded from school curriculums, education is more prevalent/encouraged and it stops being wrongfully promoted as the means for a moral way of life.</p> @ Nelson
"We evolved to be p…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-12-10:1982180:Comment:9969622011-12-10T05:27:29.035ZEdhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/EdwardDelauter
<p>@ Nelson</p>
<p></p>
<p>"We evolved to be pattern seekers. We find them when they're not actually there. We evolved to see agency. Sometimes we see agency when it's not there. We evolved to have a theory of mind. So it's natural for us to see a pattern where none exists, attribute to it agency, and then grant it a mind like ours."</p>
<p>There are groups/tribes of people extant on this planet who have no concept of god: Amazon jungle/Borneo. Perhaps they are intellectually lagging behind the…</p>
<p>@ Nelson</p>
<p></p>
<p>"We evolved to be pattern seekers. We find them when they're not actually there. We evolved to see agency. Sometimes we see agency when it's not there. We evolved to have a theory of mind. So it's natural for us to see a pattern where none exists, attribute to it agency, and then grant it a mind like ours."</p>
<p>There are groups/tribes of people extant on this planet who have no concept of god: Amazon jungle/Borneo. Perhaps they are intellectually lagging behind the rest of humanity but I find it interesting that they had not developed patterns, agencies, and ultimately a god. </p>
<p>I need to read the book by McCauley. Until then I am of the opinion that religion perpetuates itself at present more by the indoctrination of our young and the continued dismissal of scientific understanding.</p> As long as there are individu…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-12-10:1982180:Comment:9971362011-12-10T03:19:39.187ZGabriela Menicuccihttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Gabriela
<p>As long as there are individuals who capitalize off other people's problems, fears, self sense of grandiosity and a strong desire of immortality religion will exist. Monotheism is a recent human invention, it will extinguish as it's predecessors did.</p>
<p>As long as there are individuals who capitalize off other people's problems, fears, self sense of grandiosity and a strong desire of immortality religion will exist. Monotheism is a recent human invention, it will extinguish as it's predecessors did.</p> You're right about the religi…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-12-10:1982180:Comment:9971052011-12-10T02:01:24.981ZStutzhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Stutz
<p>You're right about the religious population, Sal: the problem with the US is not so much that Americans are stupid, but that there are <em>so many</em> stupid Americans. The minority of open-minded, educated Americans are the equal of any people anywhere.</p>
<p>You're right about the religious population, Sal: the problem with the US is not so much that Americans are stupid, but that there are <em>so many</em> stupid Americans. The minority of open-minded, educated Americans are the equal of any people anywhere.</p>